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Highlights of Sparkfest 2018

On March 3, 2018, The Spark Project and Globe myBusiness co-presented Sparkfest, the annual gathering of entrepreneurs from all over the country in a whole-day event that would spark bright ideas, ignite creative minds, and fuel the passion for social good. Attended by over a hundred business owners and civilians interested in starting an enterprise, the workshop was a rousing success for the organizers, speakers, and audience alike.

Here are some of the highlights of Sparkfest’s plenary sessions:

Senator Bam Aquino presented the many new programs and projects to aid business owners.

Social entrepreneur turned senator Bam Aquino stepped to the stage to share the laws and acts aiding entrepreneurs that business owners may not yet be aware of. He highlighted three specific topics:

The Go Negosyo Act

“The Go Negosyo Act mandates that all cities and municipalities have a negosyo center that provides support for micro, small and medium enterprises,” he said.

Entrepreneurs can visit these business centers and get help and support in the form of money, mentorship and market. They connect business owners to the right financing partner, such that when the business grows, the returns grow with it. They have many mentorship programs that allow interested civilians to attend a “crash course” that is highly beneficial if they want to become business owners. Finally, these negosyo centers help entrepreneurs find and reach markets that are best fitted for their products and services.

The Free Tuition Act

RA 10931 is also known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, or the Free Tuition Act. True to its name, this act provides free college tuition for public schools. This benefits the startup community because most entrepreneurs in the business landscape today have graduated from college and maximized the skills, experience and lessons that they learned from tertiary education. Thus, this act will encourage more students and would-be entrepreneurs to enter the business landscape and make their mark. It was passed in August 2017, and Senator Bam has high hopes for its progress and quick implementation.

The Innovative Startup Act

Finally, the Innovative Startup Act is an initiative that directly affects the startup scene. While it’s currently still in the works, it already looks like a great addition to the laws that aid business owners day by day. It includes a venture fund, commissions for support for co-working spaces, and provisions for foreigners who may want to launch startups in the Philippines as well as for entrepreneurs themselves.

Citing the emphasis on innovative startups, Senator Bam says this Act is targeted at “creative entrepreneurs who are doing something innovative.” It’s a catch-all for startups who want to change the world and innovate the country’s way of life, serving as a springboard for entrepreneurs to start the businesses they dream of.

In order to motivate the audience and give some insight to his own experience at starting, operating and maintaining a business, Bjorn Pardo showed a number of quotes that he himself found encouragement and inspiration in.

Here are the top three quotes we picked up:

“Don’t wait for the environment to be ready.” (Jack Ma)

Bjorn started Xend back in 2004, when startups weren’t a trend. In his own words, it seemed crazy to enter the environment at that time. Still, he knew that there were some people selling online already, and these people would need logistics. So he started Xend, and described what he found as a “big blue vast ocean all to himself,” thus creating his own market and becoming a pioneer.

He pushes for everyone to find their own “pocket of blue oceans” and provide products or services that are unique, unheard of, and innovative.

“It ain’t about how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” (Rocky)

Entrepreneurship is one of the hardest career paths to take. Running a company that’s been alive and kicking for 14 years, Bjorn acknowledges that there were many challenges. There were moments when he wanted to give up, but there was always something that kept him going. In his case, it was a vision that he wanted to make come true, and a responsibility to his family as a breadwinner.

Bjorn encouraged everyone else to find that motivating force that would keep them going, stating that it’s going to make all the difference between success and failure.

“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.” (Sun Tzu)

When you’re a small company, there’s always the possibility of being underestimated by other, more intimidating clients. There’s a chance that people may not automatically trust you the way they would a bigger or older brand. Unfortunately, some people will judge your business by its cover. So how do you convince them to accept you?

The thing about audiences today is that many of them don’t even need to see you physically to like your product or brand. All they have to do is look for you online. This works both ways, wherein they can form either a positive or negative reaction to you before you even see them face-to-face. Thus, invest in a good website and an online presence that speaks for itself. If your heart is really in your work, it should be seen in your brand’s online image.

Fashion designer Francis Libiran, film director Paul Soriano, and business founder Bjorn Pardo sat down with Mercato Centrale CEO RJ Ledesma in a panel discussion about business progress and globalization.

These three entrepreneurs know a thing or two (or ten) about taking a Philippine-based business out of the country and into the world. Among the insights they shared, one thing was most common: a determination to expand businesses and develop talents far beyond the local sphere, because Filipinos have the capacity for so much more than what they think.

Francis talked about how making the choice to become a fashion designer spurred a career built on not just talent but also hard work and passion for what he does. Staying true to his passion and always being on top of his game allowed him to make a name for himself not only in the country, but all over the world. Additionally, he praises the Filipino talent but says that the first thing Filipinos need to do in order to take on the world is work on their mindset -- they need to believe that they are just as capable, hardworking and talented as the rest of the world.

Paul acknowledged that while he had contacts in the film business prior to starting, it was a whole other story to make sure that the market he was targeting really appreciated his work. He also stated that in the end, his work and passion isn’t measured by critique or the feedback he receives -- it boils down to work that he’s proud of, and that’s something every kind of business owner should strive to achieve.

Finally, Bjorn reiterated his message of always moving forward and continuing to strive for success despite whatever failure comes your way. It takes a lot of confidence in yourself and your abilities, but it also takes the trademark hard work that Filipinos have innately, and the passion we show every time we strive for the things we want. These are the traits we need to cultivate and use in order to achieve success all over the world.